Multilayered Ag NP–PEDOT–Paper Composite Device for Human–Machine Interfacing

Flexible pressure sensors have attracted increasing interest because of their potential applications on wearable sensing devices for human–machine interface connections, but challenges regarding material cost, fabrication robustness, signal transduction, sensitivity improvement, detection range, and operation convenience still need to be overcome. Herein, with a simple, low-cost, and scalable approach, a flexible and wearable pressure-sensing device fabricated by utilizing filter paper as the solid support, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) to enhance conductivity, and silver nanoparticles to provide a rougher surface is introduced. Sandwiching and laminating composite material layers with two thermoplastic polypropylene films lead to robust integration of sensing devices, where assembling four layers of composite materials results in the best sensitivity toward applied pressure. This practical pressure-sensing device possessing properties such as high sensitivity of 0.119 kPa–1, high durability of 2000 operation cycles, and an ultralow energy consumption level of 10–5 W is a promising candidate for contriving point-of-care wearable electronic devices and applying it to human–machine interface connections.